The UNC field hockey team’s 22-game winning streak, dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season, came to an end Sunday in overtime, as No. 7 Iowa upset No. 1 Carolina in Chapel Hill. It’s only the Tar Heels’ third-ever loss in Karen Shelton Stadium, which opened in 2018.

UNC scored first and held a 2-1 lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Hawkeyes equalized on a penalty corner and then needed just 1:41 of sudden-death overtime to score the game-winning goal. It was the only shot between the two teams in the extra period. In fact, Carolina’s offense went without a shot for the final 16:28 of game action. Iowa outshot the Tar Heels 7-0 in the fourth quarter after managing just five over the first 45 minutes.

Katie Dixon and Ryleigh Heck both scored for the Tar Heels, who suffered their first loss under rookie head coach Erin Matson. Matson’s team will now take its first road trip of her tenure, a visit to Philadelphia for the ACC-Ivy Challenge next weekend. Carolina will play hosts Penn on Friday and face off with Princeton the following Sunday.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jerome M. Ibrahim

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